"Angry Chair
", by grunge band Alice in Chains, was the third single from their album Dirt
(1992). It is the twelfth or eleventh song on the album, depending on the edition. The song was included on the compilation albums Nothing Safe: Best of the Box
(1999), Music Bank
(1999), Greatest Hits
(2001), and The Essential Alice in Chains
(2006).
|
ANGRY CHAIR TICKETS
|
Origin and recording
The song was one of the few written entirely by vocalist
Layne Staley for the band. In the
liner notes of 1999's
Music Bank
box set collection, guitarist
Jerry Cantrell said of the song:
Such a brilliant song. I'm very proud of Layne for writing it. When I've stepped up vocally in the past he's been so supportive, and here was a fine example of him stepping up with the guitar and writing a masterpiece. [1]
Release and reception
"Angry Chair" was released as a single in 1992. "Angry Chair" peaked at number 34 on the
Billboard
Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and at number 27 on the
Billboard
Modern Rock Tracks chart. The UK single was released in May 1993.
[2] "Angry Chair" reached the top 40 in the UK and the top 30 in
Ireland.
Ned Raggett of
Allmusic said that "Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell unsurprisingly are the ones who transform the song into something really spectacular" and added that the song features "entrancing verses, ominous, echo-swathed and charged with a looming destruction."
[3]
Music video
The
music video for "Angry Chair" was released in 1992 and was directed by
Matt Mahurin, who later directed the "
No Excuses" music video for the band. The video is available on the home video release
Music Bank: The Videos
.
Live performances
Dirt
marked the introduction of Staley's guitar playing contributions to the group, and "Angry Chair" was one of the few songs he regularly played guitar on during live performances. The ending to the song was often used as a lead in to another famous Alice in Chains song "
Man in the Box" in concert. The current members of Alice in Chains performed an acoustic version of "Angry Chair" with
Stone Temple Pilots/ex-
Velvet Revolver lead singer
Scott Weiland in concert on September 30, 2007 in Austin, Texas.
Alice in Chains performed an acoustic version of "Angry Chair" for its appearance on
MTV Unplugged
in 1996 (although the song was omitted from the aired performance) and the song was included on the
Unplugged
live album and home video release. Live performances of the song can also be found on the "
Heaven Beside You" and "
Get Born Again" singles and the live album
Live
.
Track listing
# "Angry Chair" – 4:47
# "Brother" – 4:27 (from
Sap
)
;Limited Edition 4 Track Picture CD
# "Angry Chair" – 4:51 (from
Dirt
)
# "I Know Somethin' (bout You)" – 4:24 (from
Facelift
)
# "It Ain't Like That" (live) – 4:40
# "
Hate to Feel" (live) – 5:35
- Both live tracks recorded March 2, 1993
Personnel
- Layne Staley – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Jerry Cantrell – vocals, lead guitar
- Mike Starr – bass
- Sean Kinney – drums
Chart positions
Chart (1993)
| Position
|
US Modern Rock Tracks [4]
| 27
|
Irish Singles Chart [5]
| 28
|
UK Singles Chart [6]
| 33
|
US Mainstream Rock Tracks
| 34
|
References
- Liner notes, ''Music Bank'' box set. 1999.
- The Great Rock Discography
- Angry Chair
- Artist Chart History – Alice in Chains
- Irishcharts: searchable database
- Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums